We have previously mentioned Park Ridge 6th Ward resident and anti-O’Hare gadfly, Gene Spanos, in our 08.17.09, 11.16.09, 12.11.09, 12.18.09, 03.08.10, 06.30.10, 04.06.11, 02.10.12 and 06.25.12 posts. In each of those posts the subject was O’Hare, except for that June 2012 one in which we identified him as one of several residents who were reportedly recruiting Larry Ryles to challenge Mayor Dave Schmidt in the April 2013 election.
Even that post was related to O’Hare, however, because Spanos – who had backed Schmidt in 2009 – had soured on him as the result of Schmidt’s opposition to throwing boxcars of our tax dollars at fighting O’Hare expansion and all the problems that it creates for Park Ridge.
Schmidt realized, as did the members of the City Council and almost everyone else who has been paying attention and can do political head counting, that neither our state government representatives (Sen. Dan Kotowski and Rep. Rosemary Mulligan; and, since 2013, Rep. Marty Moylan) nor our federal government representatives (Sens. Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky) were ready, willing and able to go to the mat for Park Ridge…and actually get something accomplished.
That’s because O’Hare is a gold mine not only for Chicago but also for most neighboring communities whose industrial bases are comprised of businesses heavily served by, or that serve, O’Hare. Park Ridge, on the other hand, has almost no industry and, therefore, no real economic benefits from O’Hare to off-set the detriments from what Spanos regularly described as “Mayor Daley’s Air Force” back when that evil dwarf was pushing his O’Hare Modernization Program (“OMP”) to expand his major economic/tax revenue-generating engine.
We haven’t agreed with Spanos’ spare-no-expense approach to fighting the O’Hare leviathan, and we still don’t. But we think he has really gone off the tracks with his recent ethics complaints against 6th Ward Ald. Marc Mazzuca and the City’s O’Hare Airport Commission chairman Jim Argionis.
Spanos’ beef against those two fellows is that they have been attending meetings of the Fair Allocation in Runways (“FAiR”) Coalition, a coalition primarily of Chicago northwest side neighborhoods (and the suburbs of Harwood Heights and Norridge) that are substantially impacted by the OMP and are ostensibly looking for the same kind of relief as Park Ridge has been seeking.
Mazzuca admits to having attended two FAiR meetings last year, noting that the members of FAiR have problems similar to Park Ridge’s. Argionis concurs, rightly pointing out that neighborhoods comprised of Chicago voters have the best chance of influencing policy and behavior of the governmental body that owns and controls O’Hare.
But according to a recent article in the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate, Spanos is sickened by “an elected official [Mazzuca] and an appointed official [Argionis] assisting the city of Chicago and a group of residents in the 41st Ward in their work in seeking relief.”
Say what, Gene?
What passes for Spanos’ reasoning on this issue gets even cloudier with his admission that he doesn’t have any idea whether or not what Mazzuca and Argionis have done is actually an ethics violation:
“I don’t know. I don’t know if there’s a violation…I don’t know the city code, but as a retired law enforcement officer, I know you must always tell the truth, and what’s happening here is these FAiR group families are not telling the truth and they are being misguided by Park Ridge officials.”
That’s stone-cold flippin’ brilliant…NOT!…especially because City Attorney Everette “Buzz” Hill has advised the Council that Spanos’ apparently clueless beef is considered an “ethics” complaint for which the City Code requires the hiring of an independent attorney to investigate.
Spanos’ complaint about the FAiR folks not telling the “truth” appears to be related to his claim that the FAiR folks are “sandbagging”: encouraging and provoking the making of extra noise complaints to the Chicago Dept. of Aviation’s hotline. Ironically, we recall Spanos himself encouraging Park Ridge residents to do the same.
Spanos’ misguided view of this situation very well could be sincere. On the other hand, it could also be the product of a rivalry arising from his self-proclaimed “leadership” of an alleged-but-never-proved “500-family” group called “Citizens Against Plane Pollution” (“CAPP”). As best as we can tell, CAPP has achieved no measurable reduction in O’Hare-related noise or pollution for Park Ridge or its residents since its inception.
It may also be telling that Spanos reportedly cancelled a February CAPP meeting at the Park Ridge Public Library because FAiR had scheduled a January 25 meeting at the Summit of Uptown, which Spanos seemed to suggest was FAiR’s unfair attempt at stealing CAPP’s thunder. Amazingly enough, Spanos is demanding that FAiR reimburse CAPP for the meeting fee it paid the Library.
GFL with that, Gene.
What he and his fellow anti-O’Hare fanatics don’t seem to grasp is that Park Ridge lost any leverage it had over O’Hare back in 2000, when Sen. John McCain – then chair of the Senate’s influential Commerce Committee – figuratively stared down fellow Republican Rep. Henry Hyde and decreed that local Illinois politics must yield to either an expansion of O’Hare or the construction of a third Chicago airport. That’s all Richie Daley, desperate for more revenue to conceal the consequences of his financial mismanagement of Chicago, needed to hear.
From that point, even then-mayor Ron Wietecha – the pony for whom opposition to O’Hare had been his one and only trick – realized that the anti-O’Hare ship had sailed. He shifted his attention to Uptown Redevelopment before jumping ship entirely, resigning on a Friday evening and shortly thereafter moving to Barrington.
His next two successors, Mike Marous and Howard Frimark, ignored O’Hare and focused on satisfying their own edifice complexes by bringing Wietecha’s Uptown vision to fruition. By the time the first new OMP runway (9L-27R) opened in November 2008 after 3 years of construction, Frimark actually seemed surprised to learn that it was bringing numerous additional flights over areas of Park Ridge that previously had been unaffected by airplane noise.
Since then, things like supplemental environmental impact studies, lobbying the FAA, and full-blown litigation have been considered and found seriously wanting in one way or other. And only time will tell whether the noise monitor at Maine South yields any worthwhile results.
Instead of condemning Mazzuca or Argionis, anti-O’Hare folks like Spanos – and the taxpayers of Park Ridge – should be applauding their efforts to forge a working alliance with a group that would appear to have the greatest potential for bringing about an outcome far more beneficial for Park Ridge than the heretofore fruitless, if not outright worthless, lip service paid to our predicament by our elected officials at the state and federal levels. And far more beneficial than the heretofore fruitless, if not outright worthless, activity by Spanos and CAPP.
Unless, of course, running up the City’s legal bill to investigate boneheaded ethics complaints constitutes an achievement.
To read or post comments, click on title.
26 comments so far
There is nothing I have seen, heard, or read in the local papers or here that causes me to believe that there was any ethics violation whatsoever. It sounds like Mr. Spanos has totally lost his perspective in this area and has become an unguided missile.
Good article with appreciated historical back-up. When I first read that there was a ethics complaint I laughed seeing where it came from.
However, Mazzuca may have violated the Open Meetings Act. As far as I know, there is no record of the meeting that was filed with the city of Park Ridge.
While seemingly ridiculous possibly in this instance, Park Ridge (and Mayor Dave) have worked hard on transparency and recorded meetings. An elected official who may be “negotiating” off the record without approval or record sets a dangerous precedent.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks.
As for the suggestion that Mazzuca violated IOMA, as we understand that law it does not apply to individual aldermen participating in meetings of other public bodies or private organizations (like FAiR).
Does this guy wear a tin-foil hat? Just a feeble attempt to throw a wrench into it.
What I don’t get is why does Buzz roll this on? Even stating its a clueless beef…. Instead of inciting drama, why doesn’t Buzz just quash it right there?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Our understanding is that Buzz has no choice: the City Code requires an “independent” investigation of any complaint that implicates ethical concerns, broadly construed.
Has a formal complaint been filed?
EDITOR’S NOTE: At the January 20, 2014 Council meeting (which can be found just before the 9:00 minute mark on the meeting video on the City’s website), Attorney Hill announced that he had received a notarized, verified “complaint” of an ethics violation.
The funny thing about the clip, was when Ald. Sweeney jumped right away and preemptively wanted the taxpayers to cover costs for Mazzuca if needed for legal defense. Some people love any idea of spending!
Did Mazzuca file minutes with the City Council or with the O’Hare Commission? I think I see the precedent that 1:07 may be talking about.
Shouldn’t city business be reported back to the taxpayers? Maybe it’s not ethical, but it sure would be the right way to conduct yourself as an elected official.
The point I’m making is, replace the “characters” and “subject” with something else and it could be harmful.
EDITOR’S NOTE: From what we can tell, Mazzuca did not attend any FAiR meetings in any “official” capacity, nor did he hold himself out as an emissary or representative of the City for the purpose of doing “city business.”
So he’s under no duty to report, file minutes, etc.
So long as an alderman does not hold himself out as acting on behalf of the City, he can talk to whomever he wants, whenever he wants, about whatever he wants.
Gene is a comfy public sector pensioneer (well-deserved, of course) with a whole lotta time on his hands. You can’t violate IOMA or any other OMA, if you are the only member of your elected body in the room. And even if there are others, you have to be discussing deliberative matters on actionable business to be in violation. Gene is this era’s Chuck Baldacchino; an entertaining, expensive-to-taxpayers, side show to the City circus.
EDITOR’S NOTE: When it came to knowledge not just of City business and issues, but also of Park District, D-64 and D-207 business and issues, Mr. Spanos couldn’t shine Mr. Baldacchino’s shoes. And the aldermen who gave away the store to the Uptown TIF developers burned up more taxpayer money in one year than Baldacchino did in 20 years.
“…I know as a retired law enforcement officer you must always tell the truth…” Would that be the truth according to Gene? Cause I think he’s got a pretty distorted idea of what the truth is. He’s following in the footsteps of Charles Baldichino who cost the city money and time with his lawsuits about the Uptown development. Thanks so much Gene! What a doofus!
EDITOR’S NOTE: As we said in response to another comment like that, Baldacchino’s lawsuits may have been misguided, but the money they cost the taxpayers pales in comparison to all the money the politicians wasted on the Uptown TIF.
Yep; that’s what elected officials get when they have the nerve to believe what their highly paid, fabulously benefitted public employees and lavishly paid vendors, consultants, and other providers tell them. Elected officials need to spend at leawst 40 hours a week doing the intensive, in-depth technical research to know going in what they are being told is true by those the public pays. Silly officials! Vendors have no obligation, professional or moral, to be truthful to their fellow citizens/customers, and public sector employees have no obligation to perform due diligence on behalf of their employer, the taxpayer.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We assume there’s a coherent message in here somewhere amid the allusions, tropes and obtuse sarcasm, but you’ve done a great job of concealing it.
What has Spanos accomplished? He has a sign in front of his house about Kotowski, I haven’t taken tht time to read it even though I drive by there about once a week on average, but this ethics complaint sounds stupid.
It strikes me that two Park Ridge aldermen deserve commendation: 1) Mazzuca for trying to inform himself, at his own expense and on his own time, about an issue that Mr. Spanos claims is important; and 2) Sweeney for recognizing the importance of not having public officials maligned and bullied through capricious and unethical ethics allegations.
Among the losers in Mr. Spanos’ antics will be those residents who want the City to spend taxpayer money on additional sewers. Additional spending on sewers becomes more problematic when the City is forced to divert money into defending unwarranted ethics charges.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Exactly. All we can hope is that the ethics complaint investigator makes quick work of the complaint at minimal expense.
The complaint is probably a waste of time, money and erroneous. I wish it wasn’t filed.
HOWEVVVA…
The editor writes:
“From what we can tell, Mazzuca did not attend any FAiR meetings in any “official” capacity, nor did he hold himself out as an emissary or representative of the City for the purpose of doing “city business.” ”
Editor- Maybe Mr Spanos knows something that you/we do not.
The suit is out there, and the money will be spent, so let’s not all rush and declare no fault. We have no idea. Did Mazzuca tell the FAiR committee that he is a “citizen” from Park Ridge, or a 6th Ward Alderman? Did he authorize a Mayoral appointed committee to negotiate with a group without council/mayoral direction? The Trib reported Mazzuca is a member of FAiR.
As I said above (but must have been omitted), imagine if Mazzuca was meeting with developers in Chicago about a property (without clear direction) and didn’t report back? What would you think then? What if a board member from D64 had private interviews with a prospective superintendent?
This website is all about transparency and I’m pretty surprised at your dismissiveness of something that may reveal a lack of transparency. The thing is, we may never know, because we have no idea whether minutes are kept or recordings are made.
Lastly, did Park Ridge City Council & Mayor approve that Park Ridge is listed as a coalition member of FAiR with Jim Argionis contact listed on their website? http://www.fairchicago.org/?page_id=10 Maybe I missed that vote.
It does say “City of Park Ridge” as a member.
Again, always watch out for unintended consequences of “small issues.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: “Editor- Maybe Mr Spanos knows something that you/we do not.” We seriously doubt that.
Whether Mazzuca identified himself as a “citizen” of Park Ridge or the “6th Ward alderman” – or the Wizard of Oz – is irrelevant. All that matters is whether Mazzuca (or Argionis) represented themselves as official spokesmen or negotiators or liaisons with Park Ridge – without having that lawful authority. But since Spanos himself did not even allege that, or allege that Mazzuca authorized any negotiations of any type, your argument is of the straw-man, red-herring nature. Ethics complaints, like complaints in a court of law, should contain facts which, if proved, would constitute a violation. Just saying “this smells fishy” should not require an Inquisition.
Yes, this website IS “all about transparency,” but it has never been about firing unguided missiles or forcing people to prove the negative, especially when the most their accusers can muster against them is as flimsy as what Mr. Spanos has “alleged.”
But once again proving the validity of blind squirrel theory, your final point is a salient one: did either Ald. Mazzuca or Mr. Argionis say or do anything, without first getting Council approval, to cause FAiR to list Park Ridge as a member? If so, they should answer for that; and, if not, the City should take that up – officially – with FAiR. We trust that will be addressed in the investigation.
WHen are people like Spanos going to realize, as you have pointed out, that WE don’t control this situation and what goes on at O’Hare? Spanos and his likeminded friends are like the people in the Second Ward, they want the city to spare no expense in fighting problems that aren’t the city’s fault and may not be winnable. As you’ve said, its way too easy to spend OPM.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tilting at windmills with OPM seems to be some people’s favorite passtime.
Park ridge officially supported FAiR in open session and after a 6-1 vote and mayor signed letter
http://parkridge.suntimes.com/news/fair-PRA-08292013:article
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks, PR man, we forgot about that.
Apparently Sweeney was the only no vote. It costs nothing why would he vote no? He enjoys noise and potential pollution? Makes you wonder.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-08-20/news/ct-tl-park-ridge-city-council-0822-20130820_1_air-traffic-runways-quiet-program
EDITOR’S NOTE: Yep.
Looks like from reading O’Hare commission meeting minutes they are reporting back to park ridge and FAir members are attending park ridge meetings.
http://www.parkridge.us/events/meetings.aspx?CategoryId=19&Year=2013
EDITOR’S NOTE: It looks that way. And we note that Mr. Spanos’ name is not to be found among attendees at any of the O’Hare Commission meetings.
More info from our city’s website. City attorney already issued a memo saying attending that groups meetings is not a violation.
Go to page 11 of this link.
http://www.parkridge.us/assets/1/Events/02032014ethicscomplaint.pdf
EDITOR’S NOTE: Somebody’s been reading ahead.
Trying politicize the expansion is making the issue more complicated than it needs to be. Park Ridge is next to one of the busiest airports in the country, and ranks in the top 10 in the world. And if you live next to an airport, you can expect air plane traffic. Whether it increases, or decreases, or fluctuates, there will always be airplane noise. To try and fight the airport on the amount of traffic, or the direction of the flight paths is like pushing on a string, because, well, you bought a house near an airport. Deal with the traffic, or move to teh north end of Park Ridge where I live and avoid 99% of the noise (except for windy days when they use the diagonal runway). It’s that simple. Deal with it.
Thanks Bob for the feedback.
Yes – we don’t have representation at the aviation agencies to include our vary own city council.
Marc and Jim A. have decided on their own to abandon in place any effort to seek night time relief [ Fly Quiet volunteer program at ORD ].
The 41st ward gang runs ORD……remember!
Yes – we remain committed and so do many of the impacted families sir. It can be done.
Yet, we have no action plan even after Dr. Barb L. took the time to come and make her presentation to tell us what we need to do.
If there’s anyone out there even that would like to sit down to discuss these airport health issues
please contact me directly at 847-770-9049.
Take care !
Thank you.
Gene Spanos
CAPP Founder/Volunteer
Impacted Resident
6th Ward – Flight Box
EDITOR’S NOTE: Gene:
What “effort to seek night time relief” is being abandoned? The “Fly Quiet volunteer program at ORD” appears to have been totally worthless to Park Ridge so far, but we have heard nothing about it being abandoned by anybody.
Chicago (which includes the 41st Ward) runs ORD, so any chance of cutting a deal on ORD – given the apparent worthlessness of U.S. Sens. Durbin and Kirk, U.S Rep Schakowsky, State Sen. Kotowski and State Rep. Moylan – will require actually negotiating with…wait for it…CHICAGO!
As we understand it, “Barb L”s advice is predicated on what noise data the monitor at Maine South provides, so we don’t know what “action plan” you are talking about while we still don’t have sufficient data from that monitor – which is why the duration of its installation was extended.
Late Entry:
Dear Bob and Readers….
Just wanted to share this recent letter just in from Washington, D.C. and the NTSB in response to our air separations – air safety concerns…
NTSB now states that we were correct in our concerns for the lack of our air safety – cap.
The FAA responded on Sept 16, 2013, and described several initiatives it is taking to elevate controller awareness on the subject.
Furthermore, the FAA is taking immediate action as to our concerns as well as the NTSB.
To read this official letter…please email us at [email protected]
Thank you and we appreciate the feedback….
though some in the negative column..but we respect those living north of Touhy Ave as well.
Our Mayor plus our State and Federal working contacts also received a copy along with the Gov’s announcement of going full throttle on the 3rd regional – hub type airport.
Thanks !
Gene Spanos
CAPP Founder/Volunteer
6th Ward
EDITOR’S NOTE: Gene, we’d love to take some sort of comfort in what you’re telling us, but unless we can read the actual letter this sounds like more pie in the sky (pun intended).
Can I get some of what you’re poking Gene?? You’re out there!!
Come on, of course he and his email list have had an impact, didn’t ya hear…he stopped Chicago from getting the Olympics with his same tactics. Carry on mean gene.
Bob – Thanks again for allowing the impacted families of Park Ridge this opportunity to inform you of our radio interview that took place
with WMMB News Radio 780 – also 105.9 FM with News reporter Mr. Mike Kauser. We covered the recent letter just received from the NTSB in being fully transparent on the lack of air safety above our community and by the FAA.
For further details please contact me directly.
Also we have been invited to the political campaign brunch kickoff by our State Congressman Marty Molyan -55th District. Lastly, next Thursday we have a follow up meeting with US Cong. Jan Schakowsky’s Surb. Dir. Ms. Ann Limjoco of the US Cong. 9th District. Our agenda is to review and provide written recommendations to help strengthen the US House Bill HR 3650 Silent the Skies Act that was co-sponsored by US Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky [ D-IL 9th ].
Please take the time to help return the focus to the impacted families by signing our on line petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/eliminate-the-park-ridge-airport-commission-and-more.html
Thank you and let’s all work together
while CAPP seeks solutions to 1. Perm Home Owners Aviation Fly Quite Program, 2. Increased Air Separation [ min One air mile from to back and side to side ] involving the non-intersecting runway(s) and lastly 3. Reduction in the UPF’s….Toxic jet fuel emissions. All fully documented.
Thank you.
Gene Spanos
EDITOR’S NOTE: Gene, if you won’t send us your letter(s) that allegedly demonstrate that there’s REAL progress being made – and not just a bunch of political window-dressing – so that we can publish them here, then he have to assume it’s because (a) those letters don’t exist; or (b) all the wonderful things you claim they contain really aren’t “fully documented.”
Why do you keep making all these grand proclamations but never provide the documents that you claim make your case?
http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletters/2013/A-13-024.pdf
Here is the ntsb recommendation letter. FAA response would be found on their website as every other correspondence. No mention of gene or his one man show “group”
EDITOR’S NOTE: We didn’t even see a mention of O’Hare.
Is this the document gene (sorry I mean Capps 500 impacted families) is talking about?:
http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Notice/N_JO7210.860_Converging_Runway_Operations.pdf
Still no mention of Gene (I mean CAPP – those terms seem interchangeable)
So I clicked on genes ebbing interview and either gene or wbbm do not understand the FAA or the ntsb The title says the ntsb is implementing new rules…wait…go to the Feds website you will find the following
The National Transportation Safety Board was established in 1967 to conduct independent investigations of all civil aviation accidents in the United States and major accidents in the other modes of transportation. It is not part of the Department of Transportation, nor organizationally affiliated with any of DOT’s modal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration. The Safety Board has no regulatory or enforcement powers.
Does wbbm check what they put on what they call “news” or is gene so desperate to try and show that he matters that he misinforms reporters? The pilot blogs discussing what the FAA decided to do with the July 2013 NTSB recommendation says that this new procedure will cause further delays at airports that have intersecting runways (O’Hare currently falls into this category but when O’Hare omp is complete only one runway (set to be used sparingly) will intersect so these procedures will not be needed or required for the 6 east west runways that will be operational at the completion of omp ).
So if gene did have something to do with getting this implemented – it actually gives greater support that 6 east west non intersecting runways ARE needed to have safer procedures at O’Hare. It also supports the argument that the nw diagonal runways over Arlington heights (you know the currently intersecting ones that make the new procedures a requirement) should’ve decommissioned – which means more air traffic over park ridge. WOW either gene truly doesn’t understand what is good for the safety and health if park ridge or he is working undercover with the owner /operator of the airport. I thought I saw gene visiting the icu at northwestern recently. He and Richie must have made a deal.
Sorry can’t help but add some colorful dialogue – I’m sure the 500 impacted families could use a giggle or two while trying to not think of all the extra air traffic genes (to use your term) boneheaded emails/posts will create if he truly was behind getting these new FAA procedures implemented.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We don’t pretend to be an authority on all things FAA, ORD, OMP, etc., but it does sound to us like this could actually advance the cause of the ORD OMP and incrase air traffic over Park Ridge. The law of unintended consequences?
So get this- more on gene being either absolutely clueless about O’Hare issues or just being mean spirited because FAiR has accomplished more in a few months than his ranting emails have in years…
Barb L. Who he calls an expert sent a letter to park ridge explaining what she thinks should happen and apparently park ridge has listened because her December 23 letter says …wait for it…park ridge should work with Chicago in an attempt to obtain relief from airplane noise
http://www.parkridge.us/assets/1/Events/Letter%20to%20Shawn%20Hamilton%20Park%20Ridge%20IL%20re_%20Part%20161%2012%2023%2013.pdf
Wow. The exact thing gene was complaining about his own expert supports….clueless. Simply clueless.
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